Location marker for producing luminous display

ABSTRACT

A location marker having a first compartment containing at least one cloth streamer saturated with a chemiluminescent material and having a second compartment containing an activator composition for activating the chemiluminescent material, said first and second compartments being separated by a frangible barrier. A fuze section is provided having first and second triggering means whereby said first triggering means activates a gas-generating component to cause said activator composition to rupture said frangible barrier and saturate said at least one cloth streamer, and whereby said second triggering means actuates a pyrotechnic delay train which, in turn, ignites an explosive composition to eject said at least one cloth streamer from its compartment.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Dave P.B ly 3,354,828 11/1967Shefler et al 102/37.8 Worthington; 3,360,426 12/1967 Cline 240/225 J m0- h r Bloomfield, both of but 3,460,507 8/1969 Little et al. l 16/ l 24B [21] APPLN 1 3,539,794 11/1970 McKay Rauhutetal. 240/2258 [22] FiledMar. 16, 1970 3,500,033 3/1970 Cole, Jr. et a1 240/225 [45] PatentedOct. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee The United States of America as 52 ig g gf ffi f and pauls Com non represented by the Secretary of the Navy 0meysclasc Os 6 g [54] LOCATION MARKER FOR PRODUCING ABSTRACT: A locationmarker having a first compartment containing at least one cloth streamersaturated with a LUMINOUS DISPLAY 5 Claims 7 Drawing Figs chemlnmmescent material and hav ng a second compartment containing anactivator composition for activating the U.S. chemiluminescent materialaid first and econd compaft. [02/85, ments being separated by afrangible barrier. A fuze section is 116/124 B, 252/ 1 provided havingfirst and second triggering means whereby f F21v9/16 said firsttriggering means activates a gas-generating com- Fleld of Search po entto cause aid activator composition to rupture aid 240/225; 116/124 Bfrangible barrier and saturate said at least one cloth streamer, andwhereby said second triggering means actuates a [56] Reerences Ctedpyrotechnic delay train which, in turn, ignites an explosive UNITEDSTATES PATENTS composition to eject said at least one cloth streamerfrom its 3,350,553 10/ 1967 Cline 240/225 compartment.

t l3 49 r 1 526 22 3 5/ M 32 1, ,5 3g 2 }oooo oooooooo 27 T 23 34 I X /f4a 35 a7 38 42 4a 2/ l6 LOCATION MARKER FOR PRODUCING LUMINOUS DISPLAY.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica for governmental purposes without the payment of any royaltiesthereon or therefor.

. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ""The present inventionrelates to alocation marker and more particularly to a location marker which can belaunched from an aircraft and, when deployed on the ground, will emit aluminous display which can be seen at night by aircraft personnel.

Various devices are presently being employed to mark ground or sealocations by dropping, or launching, markers from aircraft. In general,these devices serve either to locate friendly personnel who might be inneed of rescue or to locate enemy troop or supply location for futuredestruction. Frequently, a spot in the ocean is to be marked, such asfor spotting submarines, and many of these locating device utilize thewater environment to activate a smokeor flame-producingcomposition. Forexample, one marine location marker employed during night operation bythe US Navy consists of a steel can containing a main charge of calciumcarbide in its bottom inner section and a centrally located tubecontaining a smaller charge of calcium phosphide. The reaction of thesechemicals with sea water produces acetylene and phosphine. Phosphineignites spontaneously within 70 seconds after water enters the marker.The burning phosphine ignites the acetylene as it escapes from the canand a flame about 9 inches high is produced.

'Another marine location marker which is used to produce both flame andsmoke contains red phosphorous. Ignition is accomplished by electricalcurrent supplied by a sea-water-activated battery. When sea water entersthe battery cavityin the base assembly, the sea water acts as aelectrolyte in the battery causing sufficient electrical current to beproduced to initiate an electric squib which, in turn, ignites a startermix and red phosphorus. Gases of combustion force a valve body out ofthe nose of the location marker thereby allowing yellow flame and whitesmoke to be emitted. A marker containing 784 grams of red phosphoruswill burn between 13 and 19 minutes.

Still another type of location marker employed in a water environment isone containing a flu'orescein dye which is expelled by an explosivecharge to spread dye on the water. This marker is designed to belaunched either from surface craft or aircraft to produce a daylightreference on the ocean 's surface in the form of a dye slick which isused in antisubmarine warfare or as a distress signal in search andrescue operations. Unless the sea is extremely rough, these dye slickmarkers normally provide a marker which lasts substantially longer thanthe burning-type markers.

Smoke and flame producing markers are also employed by the military forlocating and marking ground areas. Instead, of sea water being used asan initiating agent, however, various mechanical and chemical means areutilized to ignite a pyrotechnic composition which burns to produce asignal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a locationmarker having a first compartment for holding one or more clothstreamers which are saturated with a chemiluminescent material. A secondcompartment is provided for holding a liquid activator composition andthe first and second compartments are separated by a frangible barrier,such as a glass disk. A fuze section is provided adjacent the secondcompartment and contains first and second firing pins. These firing pinsare maintained in a cocked position by a bore rider pin which preventsactuation of the firing pins until the location marker has cleared itslaunching tube. A gas generator pellet is pro- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ,pf a preferredembodiment of the present invention; I

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view showing a location marker in alaunching tube;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing a-=location marker leavingalaunching tube; 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the'preferred embo'diment in a tiredcondition;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing cloth streamers being ejected from acompartment; i

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a firing pin; and a FIG. 7 is adiagrammatic view showing cloth streamers after landing in a targetarea. i

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. I of thedrawing, there is shown a cylindrical container 11 that has one endcrim'ped to a'fu'ze section 12 and the other end crimped to any end cap13. End cap 13 is provided :with an opening l 4 through which fluidcanpass, and opening '14 is closed by a threaded plug 15 which attaches toend cap 13. A piston housing '16 is slidably positioned inside container1 1 and has a cavity for holding fluid. A distribution pipe 17, having aplurality of holes 18 therein, is attached to one end of piston housing16 and a frangible barrier 19, such as a glass disk, is provided toretain fluid within the cavity of piston housing 16. A piston 21 isslidably positioned in the cavity of piston housing 16. An ejectioncylinder 22, which is split into two halves, is positioned insidecontainer 11 between one end of piston housing 16 and the inner end ofend cap 13, and movement of piston housing 16 causes end cap l3 to beseparated from container ll.

One or more cloth streamers 23 are placed within container 11 andstreamers 23 are saturated with a chemiluminescent fluid which can beintroduced into container 11 through opening 14 in end cap 13. By way ofexample, chemiluminescent fluid might be comprised of 0.2 molar bis (2,4, 5-trichloro-6- carbobutoxyheyenyl) oxalate, 0.003 molar 9, lO-bis(phenylethynyl) anthracene, I percent cyanacryl terpolymer, and 2percent bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in benzene. A suitable activatorfluid 24, which is retained in the cavity of piston housing 16, might be1.5 molar hydrogen peroxide in dimethyl phthalate.

Firing pins 25 and 26 are slidably positioned in fuzesection 12 and aremaintained in a cocked positioned by a'bore'rider pin 27. The drivingforce for each firing pin is supplied by a separate firing pin spring30. As best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, each firing pin is providedwith a tang 28, a bore 29 and a slot 31. Bore rider pin 27 is providedwith three enlarged diameter sections 32, 33, and 34 and a head 35.Enlarged diameter section 32 is slidably engageable in bore 29 of firingpin 25 and enlarged diameter section 33 is slidably engageable in bore29 of firing pin 26 and, when so engaged, firing pins 25 and 26 are heldin a cocked position. Spring 36 is provided as a driving force to movebore rider pin 27 out of fuze section 12, however, during a cockedcondition, pneumatic button 37 engages the end of enlarged diametersection 34 to prevent movement of bore rider pin 27 and release offiring pins 25 and 26. Spring 38 is provided to maintain pneumaticbutton 37 in engagement with enlarged diameter section 34.

Primers 41 and 42 are provided in fuze section 12 and are in line to bestruck by firing pins 25 and 26, respectively. A gasgenerating pellet43, which is to be ignited by primer 42, is provided to produce gas fordriving piston 21 and an ejection pellet 44 is provided to produce anexplosive force for driving piston housing 16 and ejecting streamers 23.By way of example, gas-generating pellet 43 might be comprised by amixture of magnesium and Teflon that is pressed into a pellet, andejection pellet 44 might be black powder. Delay pellets 45 arepositioned between primer 41 and ejection pellet 44 to delay ejection ofstreamers 23 for sufficient time to permit activator component to passthrough holes 18 in distribution pipe 17.

As one method of launching the marker of the present invention is bycompressed air, a sealing ring 46 of resilient material is providedaround the outer periphery of fuze section 12 to prevent excessiveleakage of air between the outer perimeter of the marker and the innersurface of a launching tube 47. As dropping the marker could causemovement of pneumatic button 37 and accidental release of bore rider pin27, a safety cap 48 is provided around the end of fuze section 12 andlocked thereto by retaining ring 49.

OPERATION After the location marker of the present invention isassembled as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings with streamers 23 therein,chemiluminescent fluid is added through orifice 14 of end cap 13 tosaturate cloth streamers 23. immediately prior to launching, retainingring 49 and safety cap 48 are removed.

Upon launching in launching tube 47, the propelling force, such as thatof an explosion, or compressed air, causes pneumatic button 37 to moveinwardly thereby compressing spring 38 and freeing, or releasing, borepin 27. Spring 36 moves bore rider pin 27 against the inner bore oflauncher 47, but as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the movement of pin27 is insufficient to release firing pins 25 and 26. Upon locationmarker clearing launching tube 47, spring 36 moves pin 27 outwardly andreleases firing pins 25 and 26 and their respective firing pin springs30 drive firing pins 25 and 26 forwardly and detonate primers 41 and 42,respectively.

As best shown in H6. 4 of the drawings, primer 4] ignites gas generatingpellet 43 and the gas pressure therefrom drives piston 21 forwardlycausing fluid 24 to break frangible barrier 19. As piston 21 continuesto move forwardly, fluid 24 is forced through distribution pipe 17 andholes 18 to saturate streamers 23 and activate the chemiluminescentfluid which has been absorbed by streamers 23. Primer 41 is detonatedsimultaneously with primer 42, and primer 41 ignites delay elements 45which, in turn, detonate ejection pellet 44. By way of example, delayelements 45 might be designed to ignite ejection pellet 44 about 8seconds after gas-generating pellet 43. This delay allows fluid 24 topass through holes 18 and saturate streamers 23 and also allows a freefall of the location marker before expellent charge 44 ejects streamers23.

Referring now to FIG. of the drawings, explosive charge 44 is shownbeing detonated and piston housing 16 is moving outwardly from fuzesection 12. Piston housing 16 moves ejection cylinder 22 against end cap13 and end cap 13 is separated from container 11. As piston housing 16continues to move forwardly, ejection cylinder 22 continues to separatefrom container 11. When the rearward end of ejection cylinder 22 clearsthe end of container 11, the two halves of ejection cylinder 22 separateand fall away. To facilitate separation of streamers 23, a small drogueparachute 51 may be provided to one end of each streamer 23. Also, ifdesired, the other end of each streamer 23 may be fastened to eithercontainer 11 or piston housing 16 to provide a weight so that streamers23 may be more accurately deployed. Without such a weight, streamers 23would be highly susceptible to wind and their location could not beaccurately placed by dropping from an aircraft. FIG. 7 of the drawingsshows a pair of streamers 23 lying on the ground and emitting a coloredglow that can be seen at night from searching aircraft.

We claim:

1. A location marker comprising,

a tubular container, at least one strip of cloth saturated withchemiluminescent material in one end of said container,

a piston housing slidably mounted in said tubular container having afluid compartment and a piston slidably mounted in said fluidcompartment,

a quantity of activator fluid in said fluid compartment,

a frangible barrier closing one end of said fluid compartment,

means for slidably moving said piston in said piston housing wherebymovement of said piston causes said frangible barrier to break andsaturate said at least one strip of cloth with activator fluid, and

means for slidably moving said piston housing whereby movement of saidpiston housing ejects said at least one strip of cloth.

2. A location marker as set forth in claim 1, wherein said at least onestrip of cloth is saturated with chemiluminescent material comprised of0.2 molar bis (2, 4, 5-trichloro-6-carbobutoxyhyenyl) oxalate, 0.003molar 9, IO-bis (phenylethynyl) anthracene, 1 percent cyanacrylterpolymer, and 2 percent bis-(Z-ethylhexyl) phthalate in benzene andwherein said activator fluid is comprised of 1.5 molar hydrogen peroxidein dimethyl phthalate.

3. A location marker as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means forslidably moving said piston includes a first firing pin, a primer, and agas-generating pellet whereby triggering of said firing pin detonatessaid primer and ignites said gasgenerating pellet and gas from samepellet moves said piston to rupture said frangible barrier whereby saidat least one strip of cloth saturated with chemiluminescent material isactivated by said activator fluid.

4. A location marker as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means forslidably moving said piston housing comprises a second firing pin, aprimer, a pyrotechnic delay train, and an explosive pellet wherebydetonation of said explosive pellet after said gas-generating pellet isignited ejects said at least one strip of cloth.

5. A location marker as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first andsecond firing pins are maintained in a cocked position by a bore riderpin having means for preventing triggering of said firing pins whilesaid location marker is within a launching tube.

1. A location marker comprising, a tubular container, at least one stripof cloth saturated with chemiluminescent material in one end of saidcontainer, a piston housing slidably mounted in said tubular containerhaving a fluid compartment and a piston slidably mounted in said fluidcompartment, a quantity of activator fluid in said fluid compartment, afrangible barrier closing one end of said fluid compartment, means forslidably moving said piston in said piston housing whereby movement ofsaid piston causes said frangible barrier to break and saturate said atleast one strip of cloth with activator fluid, and means for slidablymoving said piston housing whereby movement of said piston housingejects said at least one strip of cloth.
 2. A location marker as setforth in claim 1, wherein said at least one strip of cloth is saturatedwith chemiluminescent material comprised of 0.2 molar bis (2, 4,5-trichloro-6-carbobutoxyhyenyl) oxalate, 0.003 molar 9, 10-bis(phenylethynyl) anthracene, 1 percent cyanacryl terpolymer, and 2percent bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in benzene and wherein saidactivator fluid is comprised of 1.5 molar hydrogen peroxide in dimethylphthalate.
 3. A location marker as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidmeans for slidably moving said piston includes a first firing pin, aprimer, and a gas-generating pellet whereby triggering of said firingpin detonates said primer and ignites said gas-generating pellet and gasfrom same pellet moves said piston to rupture said frangible barrierwhereby said at least one strip of cloth saturated with chemiluminescentmaterial is activated by said activator fluid.
 4. A location marker asset forth in claim 3, wherein said means for slidably moving said pistonhousing comprises a second firing pin, a primer, a pyrotechnic delaytrain, and an explosive pellet whereby detonation of said explosivepellet after said gas-generating pellet is ignited ejects said at leastone strip of cloth.
 5. A location marker as set forth in claim 4,wherein said first and second firing pins are maintained in a cockedposition by a bore rider pin having means for preventing triggering ofsaid firing pins while said location marker is within a launching tube.